Interviewing 101: Ideas for Recruiters

One of the main tasks of any recruiter is to conduct interviews with candidates. Recruiters must be very attentive during interviews in order to glean important information and valuable insight.

Here are some things a recruiter should keep in mind when meeting with a candidate:

Be Courteous.

As a recruiter, you are representing the brand of the company you are recruiting for. Most companies want to be branded as friendly and fun to work for.

A recruiter who is working for an established brand that offers excellent working conditions can fall victim to arrogance. It is easy to believe that the candidate needs a job more than the company needs the candidate. Therefore, the recruiter allows him or her self some freedom in communication. Treat everyone with respect so that you leave a positive impression of you and the company.

Of course, not all candidates are polite. If rudeness is one of the elements of the interview, the recruiter should always maintain professional composure. 

Be Punctual.

Your previous meeting ran over, you were urgently summoned by your boss, or you had to drive from another location and got caught in a traffic jam. Do any of these things sound familiar? Even with the best planning, things can happen to delay your arrival to an interview. 

Of course it is best to be on time, however, if  you see that you will be late always convey that to the candidate prior to the planned start time of the meeting.  Don’t forget, they are interviewing your company as well.

Be Prepared.

As a recruiter you do not have to know all the technical nuances of production, features and business processes. But at least a basic understanding is a must.

If the candidate asks a question, he or she should be able to expect at a minimum that:  1) the recruiter is professional 2) the recruiter has a basic understanding of what the job entails along with  the knowledge and skill set that is required, and 3) the recruiter knows the basic structure and process of how the company works.

This is important so the candidate can make an informed decision to more forward if they are invited to do so.

Be Reasonable.

Some candidates request such enormous salaries or unrealistic benefits, that the recruiter is left stunned. Instead of flatly refusing, or appearing to approve, you should be clear that what they are requesting is outside of the normal scope of the position. You can offer to make a note and convey their terms to the decision making team.

You want to leave your options open for future negotiation in the event that this candidate ends up being the top choice.

Be Cautious.

You need to avoid asking questions about marital status, children, religion, and other personal things. You simply cannot ask those types of questions.

However, it is perfectly acceptable to ask various questions to try and learn about the candidate’s character.  Additionally, it is okay to ask questions to discern how the candidate might fit with your existing team. Generally, if you have any doubts about whether or not a certain question is appropriate, don’t ask it. 

These are just a few ideas to help keep your interviews professional and productive. What ideas do you implement in the employment interview? We would love to hear your thoughts!

Our recruiters at Swan Software Solutions hire top quality candidates, so you can skip the interview altogether and let us assign the perfect team to your next project. Contact us today to learn more!